Links for 2022-02-13
The Feynman Lectures on Physics is now available in website form. https://feynmanlectures.caltech.edu/
Explosive Proofs of Mathematical Truths: "Here we show that under a cognitively-plausible belief formation mechanism that combines deductive and abductive reasoning, mathematical arguments can undergo what we call an epistemic phase transition: a dramatic and rapidly-propagating jump from uncertainty to near-complete confidence at reasonable levels of claim-to-claim error rates." https://arxiv.org/abs/2004.00055
Computer Scientists Prove Why Bigger Neural Networks Do Better -- “Fundamental mathematical results had suggested that networks should only need to be so big, but modern neural networks are commonly scaled up far beyond that predicted requirement—a situation known as overparameterization. In a [new paper], Sébastien Bubeck of Microsoft Research and Mark Sellke of Stanford University provided a new explanation for the mystery behind scaling’s success.” https://www.quantamagazine.org/computer-scientists-prove-why-bigger-neural-networks-do-better-20220210/
Introducing Intrinsic, an Alphabet (Google) company - Unlocking creative and economic potential with industrial robotics https://x.company/projects/intrinsic/
European Fusion Reactor Sets Record for Sustained Energy https://www.science.org/content/article/european-fusion-reactor-sets-record-sustained-energy
Chimpanzees apply 'medicine' to each others' wounds in a possible show of empathy https://edition.cnn.com/2022/02/07/world/chimpanzee-insects-wounds-scn/index.html
"Striatal dopamine signals are region specific and temporally stable across action-sequence habit formation" https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982221017036
Live-bearing cockroach genome reveals convergent evolutionary mechanisms linked to viviparity in insects and beyond https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.02.03.478960v1.full
Silicon Valley's quest to live forever could benefit humanity as a whole — here's why [published SEP 21 2021] https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2021/09/21/silicon-valleys-quest-to-live-forever-could-benefit-the-rest-of-us.html
The cognitive ability of blacks raised by non-blacks https://reasonwithoutrestraint.com/quantifying-the-genetic-component-of-the-black-white-iq-gap/
An evaluation of some common (fallacious) arguments against the lab leak theory https://gillesdemaneuf.medium.com/some-common-probabilistic-misunderstandings-linked-to-covid19-357986d71a0f
Some culture war links:
Historian Ellen Schrecker has read every available memoir and oral history and has interviewed over 130 radicals to produce a history of the New Left's takeover of American universities during 1960s. https://quillette.com/2022/02/07/paradise-lost/
“Imagine at least one crying woman in every board room, newsroom, faculty meeting, and government office, and you can understand the decentralized force that has led us to this point.” https://richardhanania.substack.com/p/womens-tears-win-in-the-marketplace
“The campaign against Joe Rogan is the latest example of an alliance of major media, government officials, corporations, and other powerful institutions that seemingly act in concert to narrow debate and isolate skeptics. Welcome to the Blue Stack.” https://www.tabletmag.com/sections/news/articles/blue-stack-strikes-back
It's Not What Happens with Joe Rogan, It's the Chilling Effect Around Him https://freddiedeboer.substack.com/p/its-not-what-happens-with-joe-rogan
No, the Revolution Isn’t Over — None of the fundamental drivers of “Wokeness” have relented https://theupheaval.substack.com/p/no-the-revolution-isnt-over
Feminism: The Female Beta Uprising https://minordissent.substack.com/p/feminism-the-female-beta-uprising
“Great civilizations do not despise this natural male urge to ennoble their distinct sex; they value, celebrate, and direct it. We once did. Our new elites insist that such a distinctly manly virtue cannot and should not exist. But if they do not respect and cultivate it, a dumb and dangerous masculinity will fill the void instead. In fact, to a dangerous extent, it already has.” https://andrewsullivan.substack.com/p/between-the-world-and-men-b8f
There is probably a lot wrong with the policies they implemented in places like San Francisco but you can't be sure as long as you don't take open borders into account.
Even if your city's approach to solving drugs or homelessness works, it will break down if all the drug addicts or homeless people in the country (or world!) come to your city.
For example, if you outlaw guns but allow guns to cross your border from polities that allow them then only criminals will have guns and your gun laws will fail. But that doesn't necessarily mean that they would have been a failure if you had strict border controls.